Fastening device



Patented Apr. 7,1942

UNITED. STATE PAT ENT OFFICE FASTENING DEVICE Charles T. Langmaid, Detroit, Mich. Application December 6, 1940, Serial No. 368,762

V 1 Claim.

- This invention relates to fastening devices and V particularly to devices in which a threaded element, such as a nut, must beheld in predetermined position on another member, so that a bolt may be quickly inserted.

Devices of this character have 'wide application in the automobile industry and elsewhere, where it is necessary to fasten together various parts in the final assembly of devices such as automobile bodies, metal cabinets, door locks and the like. This device, for example, permits nuts to be attached to body panels after the panelshave been painted, thereby eliminatingthe difliculties that would be encountered if the-threads of the nut were filled with paint before the bolts were inserted.

An object of the invention is to generally improve devices of this kind and to particularly take J advantage of the benefits derived in employing area, and increased strength by virtue of the backing provided by the flange of the nut.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully as the description proceeds, reference being made from time to time to the accompanying drawing forming part of this disclosure, in which drawing:

1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which my improved fastening-device. is employed. In this view the clip holding the nut is at the left. The fragmentary piece in the center is the member to which the nut is to be attached and the fragmentary piece to the right is the piece to be secured to the-member in the center.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan view, with parts broken away, showing how the parts illustrated in Fig. 1 are finally assembled.

Fig. 4 is a section line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are fragments of clip supporting members having modified forms of apertures therein.

' 6 taken substantially on the Fig. 8 isa sectional view illustrating a modi fied form of clip in which the bent-over portion is as long as the body portion and is provided with a bolt hole. Referring now more particularlyito the drawing (Fig. ,1) it will be understood that the meter ence character l0 designates my improved clip, ll designates an apertured panel .to which the clip is intended to be attached and i2 is a mem-p her which is to be attached to thepanel II by.

means of the bolt I3. I

As previously stated, my improved fastening means enables a manufacturer to attach certain parts together in the final assembly-of automobile bodies and the like. This permits the panelsand the. members to be attached thereto to'be finished or painted, and then assembled with-' .1 out disturbing the finish of either, and without having the threaded area of the nut filled with paint or other'substanoes which would make it difficult to insert the bolt.

My improved fastening device l0 consists of a strip of spring steel which is bent, as at ll, to form a clip. Thestrip is preferably perforated,

. as at l5, before it'is bent, so that it can be more easily bent into theshape shown .in Fig. 1. :l'he end [6 of the bentportion is-re-bent, as at H, so that the clip can be more easily positioned over the end of a plate or other member, such as l I, to which it is desired to attach a nut, such as l8, so that another member, such as I2, may

be secured thereto by means of the bolt II.

The clip l0 may be formed with a cup-like depression l9, which provides clearance for the I clinched-over portions 20 of the nut. In the embodiment disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the bottom of the cup I9 is provided with an aperture 2| through which the body portion of the nut I0 is inserted. The nut IB is held in the aperture 2| by means of the flange 22 (Fig. 4) and the clinched-over portions 20. It will be noted that the body of the nut l8 protrudes beyond the upper surface of the clip l0 and into the'a-perture 23 of the panel II. This provides a means whereby the clip is locked in position when .it is placed over the edge of the panel 'I l (Fig. 2). The spring tension in the bent-over portion 24 of the clip (Fig. 2) retains the nut ill in the aperture 23 of the panel ll so that the clip and the nut are held in predetermined position on the panel H.

In assemblying parts by means of my improved fastening device, the clip I0 is placed over the edge of the panel ll so that the edge of the panel ll rests on the inside of the bend it, and

so that the nut l8 snaps into the aperture 23 of the panel ll under the influence of the spring tension of the bent-over portion 24. The rebent end [6 of the clip l enables the operator to approach the panel II with the clip "I positioned at an angle so that the protruding portion of the nut I8 is cleared by the edge of the panel ll, thereby facilitating the speed with which the clips are attached.

When the clip has been positioned on the panel I I so that the nut [I is in engagement with the aperture 23 of the panel II, the operator is then ready to attach the member l2, which is,

done by inserting the bolt l3 through the bolt hole Ila and into the threaded portion'ot the nut l8.

In some applications, it is desirable to have the nut ll adjustable on the panel H for purposes of alignment. Insuch applications, I prefer to make the aperture in the form of a slot 23a (Fig. 7) In Figs. and 6, I show other modifled forms of apertures which may be utilized inthe panel II.

In Fig. 8 I illustrate a modified form of clip Illa, in which the bent-over portion a is of thesame length as the body portion of the clip.

In this embodiment the edge of the bent-over portion 24a is straight, and the bent-over portion 24a is provided with a bolt hole 24b through which the bolt i3 can be inserted into the nut ll.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a novel means for quickly h locating a threadedmember on a panel I l, which of the clinch-on nut engage the sides of the aperture of the panel to eflect a locking arrangement, said'clip having sufllcient spring tension to permit its arms to be spread, so that the assembled clip may be slid over the edge of the panel, and the nut may be snapped into the panel aperture, to. effect assembly with the said panel.

CHARLES T. LANGMAID. 

